


You meet him by the river

by Verse



Category: Dororo (2007), Dororo (Anime), Dororo (Manga), Dororo - Osamu Tezuka
Genre: Gen, Platonic Soulmates, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 16:19:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17686850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verse/pseuds/Verse
Summary: A life built on revenge and blood.A life built abandonment and loneliness.I wonder, how does it end?Do you know?





	You meet him by the river

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Keiiii](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Keiiii).



You meet him by the river.

You don’t remember well, what happened that day. It was so long ago, a lifetime ago (several lifetimes ago).

There is pain. Blows after blows on your tiny body, angry words you cannot process falling into your ears.

There is danger. There is panic in your throat and screams in the air and there is-

_Him._

He saves you, in a way. From that demon. From that hunger. From a purposeless life.

You tell him you follow him for the sword.

(Your pride won’t allow you to say what you truly want is a family.)

He saves you, in a way.

And then he kills you.

“I’ll come back when I’ll have all my body parts back.” He tells you, with that sweet sweet _poisonous_ tone of his. As if he hadn’t just cut you deep with his words. As if he hadn’t just _torn you apart_. “I’ll come back, it’s a promise.”

Of course, like everything else about him, it’s fake.

On your deathbed, your last words are to curse him.

 

* * *

 

You meet by the river.

You’re hurt and hungry, more rag than child. Another Tuesday, in other words.

You solve the hunger easily enough.

The hurt part… only gets worse.

Another Tuesday, really.

Until _he_ shows up, that is.

He saves your life, in a way. Saves you from that demon, saves you from that hunger, and-

and despite all that, you cannot shake the feeling that something is _wrong._

There is an echo, in your soul. Words at the tip of the tongue, shadows at the corner of your eyes. Like an old dream you’d forgotten coming to life.

It echoes. It echoes. It echoes. You’ve seen this. You’ve _seen_ this.

Whose skin are you wearing?

You suppose it doesn’t matter, in the end.

You don’t even find his body in the ashes of the castle.

 

* * *

 

You meet by the river.

It’s an absolute nightmare.

It keeps overlapping. Emotions and bodies that are yours but not yours- which one are you? Which one is _he_?

He doesn’t seem to remember this rodeo of yours, the lucky bastard. His memory might be the most useful thing the demons took from him.

You fight by his side, this time- fists raised and ire in your mouth. Ironically, he’s kinder while you only got angrier; he takes the rejection in stride, the insults and the ungratefulness of the people he saves.

You don’t. You _can’t_.

It echoes. It echoes. It _echoes_ and bubbles up and foams at your lips and you _explode_ , once, twice, over and over- you’d _saved_ them, once, twice, over and over, and every time every _single_ time they cast you out over some _fucking_ growing leg growing flesh of all things.

You scream and you rage and you refuse to be silenced- not again. _Not this time_.

He appreciates it, you can tell. He’s kinder to you, too. More hopeful of humanity, perhaps.

He still leaves, though. “To find a way to get my arm back without hurting you”, he says, and you pretend to believe him.

It’s garbage as always.

 

* * *

 

He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies.

 

* * *

 

You wonder if it’s the bitterness that made you a demon this time.

Or maybe it's just because the previous Hyakkimaru didn’t have the balls to kill you yourself.

Whatever. You’ve learned a long time ago now, that humanity is nothing like demonkind; humanity is humanity. And often enough, it is way worse than monsters will ever be.

You almost laugh, when her blade pierces your lungs.

Finally, he’s the one outliving you.

 

* * *

 

_You meet by the river. You meet by the river. You meet by the river._

 

* * *

 

And every time you see him- because you _do_ see him every time, in every iteration, in ever life- he’s here. He’s here. Body in pieces and soul tainted red.

Why are you here? Why are you here?

He hurts. He cries. He screams. He curses humans and monsters alike. And here you are, watching, again and again. A witness to sorrow.

Why are you here? Why are you here?

A life built on revenge and blood.

A life built abandonment and loneliness.

I wonder, how does it end?

 

Do you know?

 

* * *

 

You meet him in a bar.

You didn’t expect to find him here. You didn’t expect to find him _now_ , for that matter, six- ten- twelve years late. But there is no mistaking him. There is no mistaking those eyes that do not see.

You follow him, because of course you do. Because he’s the one constant in your dreams. Because you need something, _anything_ to move you forward. Because for once, you’d like to be the one to protect him.

He hates it. Obviously. That _is_ Hyakkimaru, after all.

You don’t care. You became his problem back on the banks of the first river. You’re not taking it back.

You follow him. You hurt with him. You laugh with him. You live with him.

You die with him.

His arms are warm around you the last time you close your eyes.

It’s a surprisingly sweet feeling, to go without anger for once.

 

* * *

 

Ah.

 _That’s_ why you’re here.

 

* * *

 

You meet him by yet again another _fucking_ river.

You thought you were done with those.

He’s… broody, this time around. Bitter. He growls way too easily and snaps his teeth like threatened dog.

It’s… painful. To see him again like this.

So you act silly. So you make dumb excuses. So you make weird faces and stupid comments whenever you can.

It seems to annoy him. Good. Being a menace to society is one of your most perfected talents.

(If he’s annoyed at _you_ , he’s not wallowing in self pity. That’s a win in your book.)

He’ll suck it up. He always does.

 

* * *

 

You meet by the river.

He doesn’t speak, this time. No snarky quips, no sassy replies.

He doesn’t seem to hear or see you, for that matter. The old priest tells you he might be looking at your soul, but this doesn’t really do much to help you communicate with him.

At night, you wonder. Can he see it? How your soul is drawn to his? The familiarity in his bloodstream?

Stories always speak of soulmates as lovers. You have learned better. Because there are no words but this one, for what you and Hyakkimaru are; for that bond, that brotherhood, that transcends time and space and death itself.

“Don’t worry, buddy.” You tell him, you tell no one. “I got you. I’m still by your side. I got you.”

You’re not leaving him. Ever.

 

* * *

 

A life built on family and choices.

A life built forgiveness and learning to move on.

I wonder, how will you make it end?

 

Do you know?

**Author's Note:**

> Dororo (1967)  
> Dororo to Hyakkimaru (1969)  
> Blood Will Tell (2004)  
> Dororo Bon (2007)  
> Dororo (2007)  
> Dororo to Hyakkimaru Den (2018)  
> Dororo (2019)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Time is like a river (and I am set on drinking it whole).](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17922650) by [Verse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verse/pseuds/Verse)




End file.
